Headlight News for the Week of 2-26-24 – Jeep and Ford Cut Prices – Automakers Back off of EV – Counterfeit Auto Parts – 2025 Ram 1500 Review and the Week in Automotive History.
Business
From City Car to Pickup, Fiat’s Geneva Concepts Preview July Debut of New Panda “Family”
Geneva Motor Show-goers will get a first look this week at an array of new Fiat concept vehicles. A next-generation take on the long-running Fiat Panda, they’ll include a mix of products from microcompact city car to pickup. And they’ll use a new “multi-energy platform” capable of running on everything from gas to pure battery power, according to Fiat CEO Olivier Francois. But the concepts are more than fantasy in chrome, with production versions set to begin rolling out this coming summer.
Jeep Drops Prices, Prepares to Launch First EV — and Hints “Range-Extender” May Follow
He’s barely been on the job three months, but a lot has happened on his watch as Antonio Filosa, the new global CEO of the Jeep brand settles in. To start with, the off-road brand has cut prices on four of its best-selling model lines. But there’s more to come – soon – Filosa revealed during a media roundtable at the brand’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan on Friday. Among other things, Jeep is getting ready to launch production of its first EV, the Wagoneer S. And Filosa revealed that the automaker is looking at adding “range-extender” technology to future battery-electric models.
GM and Cruise Preparing to Resume Robotaxi Fleet Operations
General Motors and its robotaxi subsidiary, Cruise, prepare to resume service and testing after prior safety concerns saw the company voluntarily suspend its fleet from service, according to newly released report. Get the details at Headlight.News.
2024 Toyota Crown: Toyota’s Big New Offbeat Sedan
Yes, we’ve become a nation of truck drivers, piloting pickups, vans and SUVs. But there is a small bastion of consumers who do not check themselves out of stores, don’t shop online and refuse to drive an SUV or pickup. For them, Toyota builds the 2024 Toyota Crown. Find out why in our review at Headlight.News.
Auto Companies Fight Battle Against Global Counterfeit Parts Makers
The recent investigation by U.S. Department of Homeland Security in metro Detroit turned up scores of counterfeit auto parts. The probe, aided by Detroit Three automakers, netted scores of inexpensive, but fake parts for Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge car parts. The bust is a microcosm of a much larger problem across the U.S. costing automakers billions of dollars. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Ineos Unveils Fusilier — One Off-Roader, Two “Green” Powertrains
Ineos, the automotive startup focused on extreme off-road SUVs, unveiled what is set to become its third product line Friday, and the Fusilier will offer buyers two “green” powertrain options when it comes to market sometime in 2027, said company chairman Jim Ratcliffe.
Rivian Slashes 10% of Salaried Staff, Trims Production as EV Sales Growth Slows
Rivian announced it will slash both its corporate staff and production this year after reporting more than $1.5 billion in losses for the final three months of 2023. Even as it prepares to unveil an entirely new family of battery-electric vehicles, CEO RJ Scaringe warned the nascent automaker “is not immune” to the headwinds battering the U.S. EV market after four years of record growth. Separately, EV startup Lucid also forecast flattening sales after reporting worsening losses.
First Drive: 2025 Ram 1500: More Power, More Tech, More Money
The full-size truck market is about to get more competitive as Ram rolls out a major update of the 1500 pickup. The 2025 package has plenty to offer, from two versions of the new Hurricane engine to the all-new premium Tungsten edition. There’s plenty of new technology, as well, including the new Hands-free Driving Assist system. But you can also expect to spend more money, Headlight.News headed to Texas Hill Country to get some time behind the wheel of the 2025 Ram 1500.
Cadillac Lyriq Regains $7,500 Federal Tax Credit — Gets Leg Up on Rivals
After revising its supply chain, Cadillac once again can offer $7,500 in federal tax credits to buyers of the Lyriq EV. The automaker briefly lost those incentives after the U.S. Treasury updated guidelines under the Inflation Reduction Act on January 1. The news means Caddy gets a critical advantage over a number of competing luxury EVs that have also lost their tax credits this year.
Ford Cuts Mach-E Pricing, Adds New F-150 Lightning Incentives
Hoping to perk up a slowing EV market, Ford Motor Co. has announced some lucrative financial deals for its two retail battery-electric models, the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning. Price cuts on the electric crossover run as high as $8,100, while there’s as much as $12,500 in “bonus cash” on the battery pickup.
Genesis Slowing EV Plans, Reportedly Adding Hybrids to Lineup
Korean luxury brand Genesis is reportedly rethinking its plans to evolve into an all-electric brand. The company is instead looking at other electrification options, with plans to launch its first hybrid model as early as next year. But what form it will take reportedly has not yet been determined.